Fireworks for Christmas
by Paceso
Summary: An entry for the International Wizarding School Championship. (The constraints for the entry are noted as a header.) A one-shot set during the 1995-96 Christmas holidays, showing Fred and George being their usual joking-but-kind selves and brightening the life of a nearby Muggle in the process.


International Wizarding School Championship (practice round)  
Beauxbatons 3rd year

Theme: Christmas

Prompts: [Characters] Fred and George Weasley, [Opening sentence] "Outside the cabin…", [Object] Fireworks.

Word Count: 1150

 **Fireworks for Christmas**

Outside the cabin, the wind howled through the trees, while inside, the old woman's fire was nearly out. It had been snowing for the last three days, and all the firewood indoors was finished. She looked ruefully at the whirling snowflakes visible through the window. There was nothing else for it – she would have to venture outside or let the fire go out completely, and she had used up her last match two days earlier. If the fire went out now, she had no means of re-lighting it.

She heaved herself reluctantly to her feet, put on her coat and began to wrap her shawl around her. As she did so, she heard voices outside. Voices – in this weather! Who on earth could it be?

As she stood stock-still in amazement, a vigorous knock sounded on the door. It was followed by a laughing comment which she couldn't quite hear through the thickness of the oak. She went to the door and opened it. Outside stood two boys of about sixteen or seventeen years old. Both had tousled red hair peeping out from under their woollen caps, and the two faces that gazed at her were identical.

"Hello," said one of the boys. "We hope you don't mind us knocking, but…"

The other boy took up the sentence without a pause. "…we were out doing some experiments and got a bit cold. We saw the smoke from your chimney, and wondered if we could come in and get warm."

The first boy nudged the second. "Oy, she'll think us terribly rude. We haven't even introduced ourselves." He looked at the woman apologetically. "I'm Fred Weasley."

"And I'm George Weasley," chimed in the other. "We live just the other side of Ottery St Catchpole."

Despite her discomfiture at this unusual beginning to an acquaintanceship, the woman couldn't help smiling at the two boys. They were so cheerful, and so obviously unheeding of formality.

"I'm Mrs Corvac. And yes, of course you may come in." She opened the door wide.

As they stepped forward, the boy who had introduced himself as George noticed her coat and shawl. "I say, were you about to go out?"

"Only to get firewood. The fire's almost out." She gave an anxious glance at it. It was very low indeed, and unless there was some dry wood – which was unlikely in this weather – she wasn't sure it would catch even now.

The two boys spoke together. "We'll get it for you."

She accepted their offer gratefully, and directed them to the wood heap. Before long, there was a huge pile of wood by the hearth, and Mrs Corvac was vainly attempting to coax a little more heat out of the embers in order to start a log burning. The boys glanced at each other, and George raised an eyebrow at his brother. Fred nodded.

Behind Mrs Corvac's back, George muttered a quick " _Incendio_ ," and the fire burst into life, its flames dancing and crackling merrily. Mrs Corvac gave a startled, yet relieved, laugh. "There must have been some extra sap in that log, or something. I've never known the fire catch so well."

Fred and George smiled knowingly, but it was clear to them that Mrs Corvac was a Muggle, so they said nothing.

"Would you like some cocoa, boys?" she asked, turning from the fire.

As before, the two answered in unison. "We'd love some, thanks."

Over cocoa, Mrs Corvac learnt that Fred and George were at school "somewhere in Scotland", that they were practical joke inventors, and that they hoped to leave school soon and set up a shop to sell their inventions. Fred and George, in their turn, learnt that Mrs Corvac was a widow, that she lived alone, and that she used to be a secretary. Although she didn't say more, they could also see that she was poor and rather lonely.

"Were the experiments you mentioned something to do with your practical jokes?" she asked curiously.

"In a way," replied Fred. "We're working on a line of fireworks at the moment. Would you like to see some?"

Mrs Corvac nodded, and Fred reached into his pocket. "These are just miniature versions for testing," he explained. "Mum doesn't like us doing all this stuff – she says it's not proper work – so we have to test in secret."

He threw a small paper tube onto the fire. The fuse sizzled and then the firework exploded in a shower of stars unlike any firework Mrs Corvac had ever seen. They didn't just burst out from the centre; they formed into chains and wove themselves in patterns, chasing each other around the fireplace until the individual stars gradually went out and the chains fell apart.

Fred threw another small firework into the flames. As this one exploded, a firework dragon burst out of the paper tube and soared in and out of the dancing fire, adding to the flames with its fiery breath. Mrs Corvac gasped.

"These are amazing, boys! You're extraordinarily talented."

Fred and George blushed. They couldn't explain that all wizarding fireworks were much more elaborate than Muggle fireworks. George hastily changed the subject before they got onto even more dangerous ground.

"It's Christmas next week. We're having a big family gathering that day, but would you like us to come over on Boxing Day?" he offered.

Mrs Corvac beamed. "I'd love you to. I do get a bit lonely at Christmas. It'd be nice to have some company."

"That's a date, then," said the two boys together.

Mrs Corvac opened her mouth to speak, but George was too quick for her. "And we'll bring food with us. We always have loads left over from Christmas Day, and Mum will be glad to get rid of some of it. She complains every year about where to put it all, and how no-one ate anything like as much as she expected."

Mrs Corvac demurred at first, but was too conscious of her very empty larder to persist in rejecting the offer. The boys brushed aside her faltering thanks, and managed to ease her embarrassment by telling her more about their practical jokes. She listened, fascinated; laughing every now and then at some particularly funny story.

An hour later the snowstorm eased, and the boys reluctantly conceded that they ought to head for home. They thanked Mrs Corvac profusely for her hospitality, reiterated their desire to visit on Boxing Day, and took their leave.

As Mrs Corvac sank back into her chair at the fireside, the cabin seemed brighter than it had for many months. True, the fire was blazing more fiercely than it usually did, but that was by no means all. As a result of Fred and George's friendliness, there was added light and warmth in her heart as well as in the room.

It was going to be a wonderful Christmas after all.


End file.
